Common Duality
by Katsushika Kahori
Summary: Mahiru works at a cafe and just wants to get through college, but he finds the coffee shop frequented by an unkempt vagabond. Unable to ignore his natural inclination to help he volunteers to take in the homeless boy, only to find himself thrown into an underground world he never signed up for.
1. Coffee House Chaos

Here is a shameless present for one of my best friends. She's trash like me and deserves this.

* * *

The cafes front windows were smudged with dirt and fog, the bitter air biting into the bones of every patron that wandered in past the swinging double doors. The weather had been in the records lately, with snow falling almost every night. It never stayed until the next morning but that did nothing to soften the sting in the air.

Glancing up from the counter he was wiping down Mahiru caught sight of a seemingly familiar head of light colored hair propped up against the outer glass, the strands clinging to the moisture condensed on the panes. He sighed and looked over his shoulder hoping to see a manager. When none appeared he took a deep breath and began putting together a small sandwich and drink.

The owner of the hair looked up slowly when Mahiru pushed open the door and peeked out around the frame. To say that he was unusual would have been an understatement and Mahiru was surprised to see that not only was he lacking a hat but also gloves, a coat, and even anything warmer than some beat to hell trainers. Soft hair fell haphazardly across his eyes and obscured what appeared to be dark, unfocused eyes.

"Uhm, hi." He began, casting about for a normal way to offer food to what was obviously a young homeless vagrant. "I think I've seen you out here several times now and I thought... you might like a sandwich?" He tried not to cringe when the eyes only continued to slowly blink up at him. "Er, I mean, not to be rude but my manager is starting to get suspicious you know? Uh." He ground to a halt again. "We can't really have people loitering around out here."

The man on the ground finally reacted, heaving a sigh and levering himself up. He stuck his shaking hands into his pockets and turned to go without a backward glance.

"Wait!" Mahiru cried.

The man turned around again.

"Won't you please take this?" He held out the sandwich, wrapped neatly in foil, and the drink. "I just made them. They're fresh and- and good for you!"

An eyebrow raised skeptically and Mahiru was just beginning to wonder if he was in fact interacting with an apparition when the man finally opened his mouth.

"Why bother?"

"Why bother with what?" Mahiru asked slowly, confusion painted across his features. "You need to eat!"

"It's such a hassle." The man (boy? he looked younger up close) said. "Just give it to an alley cat."

"Isn't it simpler if you just take it?"

A hand came out of a pocket and fiddled with a couple strands of hair before yet another heavy sigh escaped. "What does simple have to do with any of this?"

"Well, I made them for you." Mahiru said. "So, it stands to reason that you should take them." He waved the drink around for a moment.

The dazed eyes suddenly focused and widened fractionally. "You made them for me?"

"Yes?"

"Why?"

The question was so blunt and emotionless that Mahiru struggled for a moment to understand what it was referring to. "Why... did I make them for you?" He finally asked, hoping for clarification.

A pair of thin shoulders shrugged noncommittally.

"Because you need them!" Mahiru exclaimed in horror. "Why wouldn't I?"

The man slowly lowered his head until the unkempt bangs obscured the rest of his face and breathed out. "Man. You sure are something else. Thanks, but I'll still pass. See ya." And with that he turned on his heel and slouched off into the blustering wind.

Mahiru remained leaning out the door for several more seconds, watching the figure recede into the horizon, until a voice demanding counter service jolted him from his pondering. He frowned down at the sandwich he still held before tucking it into his pocket and planning on it for dinner. After all, he had paid for it with his own money. Oh well. You couldn't win them all he supposed.

* * *

"I'm not joking Sakuya!" Mahiru insisted, twisting a pencil through his fingers. "The guy was seriously wearing a long sleeve tee. Yesterday. _Outside_."

They were both seated on the end of the back row in the lecture hall. It was the one class they shared and though Mahiru made many complaints about Sakuya's inability to take anything seriously and its effects on his learning, he loved this two hour block when he could just relax and pretend that they were still in high school and all the stress of college and work was just a distant threat.

Sakuya turned to face him with skeptical eyes and a light frown. "You know that tall tales are _my_ thing right?"

Fighting back the urge to scream Mahiru closed his eyes and returned the frown. "I know. But this isn't a story! It really happened!"

"And you had to go butt in and try to be all heroic, of course. Why can't you just leave well enough alone?" Sakuya propped his textbook up on the desk and leaned down behind it to keep talking as the professor entered the room and began writing notes on the board. "I mean, what if the guy had been dangerous?"

"Dangerous?" He scoffed, ducking behind his own book. "Outside the cafe?"

"Stranger things have happened!" Sakuya urged. "Remember just last week when that guy went psycho on the subway and ate that other guys face?"

Mahiru rolled his eyes. "I really don't believe that one. And even if it did happen, didn't you claim drugs were involved?"

"Drugs are always involved."

"Well, there you go. This guy was definitely not on drugs."

"How do you _know_?"

"I could just tell! He..." Mahiru trailed off, wondering how best to describe the strange man that had collapsed outside his workplace. "He looked..."

"Suspicious?" Sakuya suggested, grinning. "Drugged up? Outside his mind, high as a kite, dirty and-"

"Just like that!" Mahiru exclaimed, interrupting and pointing across the room.

Sakuya turned in time to see the student who had just slouched into the room handing a slip of paper to the professor. He glanced at it, seemed to ask a question, to which the new student just shrugged, and then waved his hand impatiently towards the back seats. The students shoulders managed to sag even more before he turned slowly and began trudging up the side steps.

"Oh noooo." Sakuya groaned beside him, head in his hands, just as Mahiru realized that the only open seat was the one to his left. "Mahiru, _please_, I'm begging you. Let this one go. Ok?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Sakuya hissed. "This isn't going to be one of your do-goody pet projects. Say it with me. 'This guy is none of my business'."

Mahiru tilted his head to the side slightly to get a better look at the man walking towards them. He was scruffy for sure; his hair a mess from the wind, and the tattered sleeves of his sweater loose around the elbows. His shoes looked taped together and his jeans had seen better days, but, Mahiru was pleased to note, he appeared to have all his fingers despite spending the day outside yesterday without any protection.

"But what if he never ended up eating yesterday?" He whispered worriedly. "He looks like he's about to pass out."

"All the more reason for the _real_ EMTs to deal with him." Sakuya muttered and looked away just as the subject of their debate rounded the corner and glanced up from the empty seat to who was sitting one over.

Mahiru could pinpoint the moment the other recognized him because he sighed and tipped his head back in defeat. "Of course it's you."

"Hello again!" Mahiru tried, smiling uneasily. "This is kind of funny isn't it?"

"I can't deal with this." He mumbled before sliding into the seat and dropping his head down on the surface of the desk. The loud thump had several people in the row ahead glancing back curiously but he seemed unconcerned.

"Hey, are you ok?" Mahiru leaned over a fraction, trying to see if he was still conscious.

He rolled his head slightly, just enough for one eye to materialize through the hair falling loosely over his shoulders. "Fine."

Mahiru frowned but turned back to his notebooks just as the professor dimmed the lights. He knew a project was coming up and didn't want to waste any class time, he had so little to spare as it was; but the presence beside him kept drawing his attention away from the overhead and to the soft hair, tinted blue from the slides. He hadn't moved since falling forward over the desk and Mahiru was beginning to suspect that he was asleep. Debating whether to wake him or not left Mahiru with the impression that, at least today, it would just be simpler to take two sets of notes. He felt Sakuyas eyes on his several times but steadfastly ignored it as his hand whipped across two pages, making identical copies of the paragraphs from the projector.

By the end of the first hour his hand was cramping spectacularly and he worried that the letters he was writing were becoming illegible. He couldn't have been more thankful for the small break they had before the second hour and sighed in relief when the lights flicked back on.

Standing up, Sakuya watched him massage his wrist for a moment before sighing. "It's never any good trying to talk sense into you, you know?" Mahiru just grinned up at him and shrugged lightly. Sakuya bit back a smile and slapped his notebook closed. "Fine, fine. I get it. What do you want to drink? I'm headed out for a breather."

"Coffee, please!"

"Too much of that stuff will stunt your growth!" He yelled back before ducking out the door.

Mahiru huffed and glanced over, only to jump in surprise when he was met with a very awake, very bored stare.

"It's not true. Probably. Sakuya likes to tell jokes. He says I'm gullible." He tried to explain, feeling his face heat a little as the other just kept staring. "Not that I'm all that short. I'm actually average!"

The boy next to him looked startled for one second before spitting out a small laugh. "And that makes you happy?"

"Average is a good, simple middle ground. There's nothing wrong with that!"

He sighed again and turned away, resting his chin on the desk. "What ever you say."

"I'm Mahiru."

"Mmh."

Mahiru frowned. "Now you tell me your name."

The boy yawned and squinted forward. "Too much trouble."

A moment passed in silence as Mahiru waited but, sensing that there was nothing more to come, he slid the second copy of notes over until they bumped the floppy sweater sleeve resting on the desk. Dark eyes flashed over to the notes, up to Mahiru, and away again.

"Those are for you." He said casually, unrolling a half finished map in front of himself. "The first half of class is always a lecture, then the second half we have time to work on our projects or ask questions."

Silence met this declaration and he eventually turned back to his homework. He had just started painstakingly highlighting paths through the network of mountains on the map, biting his lip in concentration, when a soft whisper reached him over the chaos of the other students.

"Kuro. My name's Kuro."

Mahiru capped his highlighter in favor of a pen and turned to his left, smiling widely. "It's nice to meet you!"


	2. The Professed Plan

*_forgive me my typos for I have sinned blah blah blah I have no beta WE DIE LIKE MEN_

Sakuya had been gone a good fifteen minutes and it had been ten since Kuro had finally told Mahiru his name. To say the silence was stifling would be incorrect. Mahiru could beat his way through any stony, awkward pauses in conversation. No, what the problem was, was that no matter what he said, Kuro shot it down with a dismissive huff or sardonic twist of his eyebrows. Mahiru had tried every possible topic he could think of and each one had been peeled apart and tossed over Kuro's shoulder like garbage.

He turned away, chewing angrily on his lip. This guy was impossible!

"You're gonna draw blood if you keep that up."

Whipping around so fast he thought he heard something in his neck crack, Mahiru stared angrily down at the white hair splayed over the table. "What's with you?!"

"Uh oh! Trouble in paradise already?" Sakuya exclaimed mockingly, setting down the two drinks he carried and sliding back into his seat. "What have you done to anger the ever patient Mahiru-sama?"

"Don't call me that." Mahiru muttered distractedly, noting that Sakuya had brought back exactly two drinks and purposely placed them in Kuro's line of sight. "What kind of coffee is that?"

"What? Oh, it's regular milk."

Kuro sighed gustily and closed his eyes again.

Mahiru tapped his fingers pensively against the desk for a moment before sliding the coffee in front of Kuro. "Would you like any?"

Kuro's eyes flew open and he turned to stare incredulously at Mahiru as Sakuya groaned loudly in the background. "What's your problem?" He asked sullenly.

"_My_ problem?!" Mahiru burst out. "What's _my_ problem?!"

"Oh, now you've done it." Sakuya intoned, taking a languid sip of his tea.

"Yes, _your_ problem. Just leave me alone already. It's obvious to anyone with eyes that we won't get along. Why can't you just let it go?"

"He never lets anything go-"

"Shut it, Sakuya!" Mahiru interrupted.

"-Especially when that thing is a scruffy charity case."

Kuro flinched infinitesimally and Mahiru rounded on Sakuya. "He's not a thing!" Turning back, he saw Kuro staring at him with that same wide eyed, confused look before the shutters closed and his eyes once again had that unfocused, sleepy look. "And he's certainly not a charity case. I just thought he might like some caffiene so he could actually stay awake for 5 minutes."

"No thanks. That stuff will stunt your growth." Kuro said, the ghost of a laugh in his voice.

Mahiru felt his mouth drop open and barely registered Sakuya's roaring laughter behind him.

"But next time I might take a sandwich." And with that Kuro stood as the clock struck two. "Seeya."

* * *

The cafe was crowded. It was the kind of afternoon shift that always left Mahiru wondering if having a roof over his head and food in the fridge was worth it. He'd spent the last three hours bustling to and fro, taking orders, bringing drinks, and occasionally slapping together sandwiches. It didn't appear to be letting up anytime soon either. An agonized look at the clock showed him one hour left of his day before he could go home and collapse for a solid ten minutes.

"Mahiru!" A voice from the front called him and he cursed silently, turning to rush back up to the hostess. She gestured to two people standing to the left of the doorway. "These two requested you specifically." She winked and Mahiru shuddered to think what her conclusions had been.

The two by the door came forward and Mahiru had a moment to take stock of their appearance before the shorter of them threw his hand out and demanded a table by the window. The other one, the tall, blond, model (?) one smiled politely and did nothing to lessen the blow of the brutal greeting.

"I uh, of course. Please, follow me." Mahiru stuttered, reverting to habit and force of will to keep his cool. He turned once they'd reached the table and gestured towards the menus stacked neatly against the wall. "I'll be back in just a moment for-"

"Nevermind that!" The little one pronounced impatiently. "We have bigger things to discuss."

"That is true, unfortunately." The blond one said demurely, flipping through the menu he'd picked up. "Oh Misono, they have strawberry tart. We should get one."

"Hush!" Misono muttered before turning back to Mahiru. "You had better tell the truth!"

"Uhm. The truth about what..." Mahiru muttered, completely lost. He had a feeling that today was going to be the kind of day that he woke up the next morning wondering if it had been real.

"That new friend you made!"

"New friend?" He repeated. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Don't lie! We know you met up with him earlier and now you're in the same class. It's not a coincidence. Where do you know him from?"

Mahiru racked his brain for anyone that he'd met with outside of class or work lately and suddenly he was hit with a sense of foreboding so strong he could taste it. "You don't mean Kuro, do you?" He asked doubtfully.

"Is that what he's going by now?" The blond one said, glancing up for the first time. "I only know of his older name."

"Don't play dumb! What's he doing taking a university class? Why in this city?!" Misono demanded, slamming a hand on the table. The glassware wobbled precariously and Mahiru felt his brows draw down into the beginnings of a scowl.

"Please, Misono. Could you not cause a scene?"

"Lily! He's playing dumb!"

Lily turned once again to study Mahiru, who was still just standing there, feeling in over his head. "No, I don't think he is." He said thoughtfully. "Mahiru. Would you please tell us how you happened upon my brother?"

The word brother bounced around inside Mahiru's head for a while as he gazed into middle space wondering how he'd ended up in this kind of situation. "I honestly don't know what you two are talking about. Kuro collapsed outside this cafe the other day. I offered him a sandwich and then suddenly he popped up in my class. I didn't plan any of this."

"But he's been here before!" Misono cried triumphantly.

"Yes. Several times. That's how I recognized him. But he's never come in and we've never talked."

"A likely story." Misono huffed, crossing his arms. "Who would believe that?"

"It's true Mahiru." Lily sang. "If you're not friends, than what's he doing skulking around outside right now?" He smiled and pointed out the front window where a hunched figure could be seen lurking near the doorway, trying to stay out of sight.

Mahiru felt reality twist and crack, settling back into a completely different shape. "I'll... I'll be right back." He muttered, sparing a glance at the two seated calmly now at the table, before starting back toward the front.

"What do you think you're doing?" He hissed as he burst out of the door. Kuro started violently and sank back towards the wall, hands in his pockets and shoulders bent against the cold. He looked left and right several times as though he would be able to conjure someone else for Mahiru to be referring to. "Yeah, YOU."

Kuro sighed in defeat. "Well, honestly I-"

"It's freezing out here! Don't just stand around in the cold, you moron! Come inside! I'll make you something warm to drink. And don't worry, I'll just put it on my tab." He turned to head back in but a hand tugged on his sleeve, stopping him.

Kuro was pinching the fabric between his thumb and forefinger, staring hard at the ground. His features worked themselves into what resembled a frown and he glanced up. "Why?"

"Why what?" Mahiru asked impatiently.

"Why are you like this?" Kuro's voice was small and confused, almost pleading.

"Like what?! Come on, we shouldn't be standing out here in the cold like this. Come inside." He twisted his wrist to take hold of Kuro's hand and began pulling him inside. There was no resistance and within moments they were at the counter. "What would you like? You're not allergic to milk are you?" Mahiru asked, looking over his shoulder. "I was thinking something with milk would be good. It has protein."

Kuro's lips momentarily quirked up. "You're like a mom."

Mahiru's indignant sputtering was interrupted by a voice. "That's what we call him sometimes!" Koyuki's head popped up over the counter and he grinned. "Mom-hiru."

"Don't call me that!"

"It fits." Kuro muttered.

"No it doesn't!" Mahiru barely resisted the urge to stomp his foot. "If you don't have anything helpful to add I'll make you something and bring it out in a second. Go wait by that table." He pointed off to the right. "Your brother is already there."

In an instant Kuro's posture went from lax to rigid; his hands balling into fists, the tendons in his neck standing out. Mahiru glanced over at him worriedly, hesitating, wanting to reach out a hand and place it on that stiff, thin shoulder.

"Hey, are you-"

"What do you mean my brother." He ground out through barely moving lips.

Mahiru paused, baffled, before shrugging. "The tall blond one? Said he was your brother. He looks kinda like a model and he's showing way too much skin. He came in here a while ago with a little angry kid and they haven't shut up about you since."

Kuro relaxed marginally and sighed in a resigned sort of way. "I should have known. He always catches on first."

"Catches onto what?"

Kuro slid his eyes to Mahiru and then away. "Nothing." He fiddled with the chain around his neck. "I suppose you're not going to just let me off the hook now? Let me sneak out of here and away. I really don't want to deal with him."

"Of course not! It's like negative ten degrees out there! And I haven't seen you eat a thing. You're not leaving until you're warmed up."

"Fine. What a pain in the ass." He started off in the direction Mahiru pointed before turning back around. "Oh, and lots of sugar. I like sweet things."

Mahiru stared after him for a moment in bemusement and then went to prepare a drink. While in the midst of stirring in far too much sugar he decided to piece together a panini as well. They were warm and always seemed to cheer him up when it was a cold, gray day and Kuro seemed like he could really use some cheering.

Approaching the table Mahiru was greeted by a loud array of angry remarks followed by grumbled responses. Lily laughed politely into his hand just as he rounded the corner and caught sight of the situation; Misono was attempting to stand on his chair and glare down at Kuro who had his hands held in front of him and wore a painfully put out expression.

"I just don't see why it matters." Kuro was mumbling in the general direction of the floor.

"Because it does! It could change everything! Haven't you realized that yet, you buffoon?!"

"Please, Kuro." Lily interjected. "Let's at least discuss it?"

"No way."

Mahiru was tempted to laugh at the childishly stubborn look on Kuro's face but the tense atmosphere put him off. He slid the plate and cup onto the table. "Here. Eat while it's hot."

Kuro glanced at the plate and his eyes widened. "Is that for me?"

"Who else would it be for you idiot?" Mahiru asked exasperatedly. "And you better eat it this time. I don't like wasting food."

Lily hid a small smile before clearing his throat. "Pardon me, Mahiru, but perhaps you could help us out. Kuro is being quite stubborn and maybe as his friend you could convince him to hear us out?"

Mahiru froze at the word friend but a quick look at Kuro's tense, hunched shoulders had him nodding. "I can try! Not that he listens to me much."

"You see..." Lily trailed off, seemingly at a loss as to how to phrase it.

"There's someone else in town." Misono said loudly. "And it's no coincidence that he's popped up at the same time as Ash."

Mahiru chanced a look at Kuro, hoping for an explanation as to the name but Kuro was poking methodically at the panini and seemed unwilling to participate in the conversation. He turned his attention back to Misono just as he continued.

"Lily and I want to keep tabs on this person. It's imperitive. We think we know why he's here and unfortunately-" He broke off and shot a worried look at Kuro. "Unfortunately, that reason is Ash." He shook his head. "We require his assistance. And without it I don't think we can offer much in the way of protection."

"I don't need protection." Kuro broke in. "Least of all from you two."

Lily smiled again, while Misono puffed up a bit like an angry bird and pointed a finger. "You most certainly do!"

"Protection?" Mahiru asked. "What do you mean protection?"

"We think he's here to kill Ash."

Mahiru felt his blood turn to needles in his veins and whipped his head around to stare at Kuro, who had not reacted in the slightest to this declaration. He merely sighed noisily and laid his head on the table. "Man, what a pain."

_"Kill?"_ Mahiru's voice was at least an octave higher than normal and he could feel his vocal chords catching on the sharp edges of the word. "What are you guys talking about?"

"This man. He's dangerous. You see, they used to-"

"That's enough." Kuro spoke lowly, but there was a bite to his tone that Mahiru had never heard before. He sounded... deadly.

"Ah, dear me." Lily murmured, hand to his cheek. "So you really didn't tell Mahiru here anything."

"Of course not." His voice had lost some of its intimidating tenor but he was still glaring darkly across the table at the other two, sandwich picked apart and forgotten on the plate. "And I don't intend to. So don't ask." He added, turning that hard stare on Mahiru.

"Well, we can't just leave you to go wandering off on your own!" Misono cried. "Once he's done away with you, he's sure to come after the rest, and that includes Lily!"

"Don't worry. I can handle myself just fine."

"Forgive me for not having enough faith in you to stay alive to take a gamble on his safety!"

"Misono, calm down." Lily murmured. Turning to Kuro, he rested his chin in his hand. "I'm just as worried about you, you know."

Mahiru watched as the blood drained from Kuro's face and he lurched upright, sending the chair back several feet. "Don't say that."

"But why ever not?" Lily asked sweetly. "It's true."

"Don't _say_ that." One of his fists clenched on the table.

"Kuro..." Mahiru tried, laying a hesitant hand on his forearm. Kuro jerked away and Mahiru flinched in response. A voice in his head was chattering away, reminding him he was still on the clock and he had things he should be doing- helping customers, taking orders, sweeping, dishes; but somehow he couldn't drag himself away. "Can I help?" The words were out before he knew he'd thought them and every eye at the table turned on him in amazement. Under the force of the stares Mahiru felt his heart rate pick up and he began to wonder if he'd just volunteered himself for something far above his pay grade.

"Help?" Kuro asked disbelievingly. "You want to help?"

"Of course!" He put as much bravado as he could muster into the words. "If you won't accept help from them then that leaves me!"

Lily clapped his hands delightedly. "Oh, this is perfect!"

Misono seemed to be thinking it over, his arms crossed, a foot tapping rapidly on the tiles, and finally he snapped his fingers. Mahiru refused to look at Kuro, instead turning his attention desperately to Misono. "I do think that's a fairly good plan." Mahiru barely had time to wonder when they'd made a plan before Misono was continuing. "He can stay with you. It'll be unexpected, under cover, the perfect place! With Tsubaki hunting all over town looking for Ash, he won't have time to spare for weeding out our spy network!" Misono turned to Lily, a blush of excitement to his face. "And once we have all the intel we need we can make the first move!"

"Wait wait." Mahiru muttered, holding up a hand. "What do you mean 'stay with me'?"

"Well, isn't it obvious Mahiru?" Lily asked, smiling. "My brother is quite homeless."

Even though he'd been thinking it the whole time, Mahiru winced under the confirmation. It was one thing to have a theory and another to know for certain that the boy beside him had been skirting the edges of hypothermia for the last who knew how long. His protective instincts taking over, he tightened his hold on Kuro's arm. "He can stay with me as long as he needs!"

Kuro breathed a noise of disbelief and slid his arm out from under Mahiru's hand. "Are you kidding me?" The hollow rage in the tone had Mahiru turning wide eyes up to Kuro's face. His expression was neutral, his eyes hooded and empty, but underneath it all Mahiru could see a small trembling of emotion. "You don't even know me. Why are you butting in like this?"

"Who else is going to do it?" Mahiru demanded. "I can't just leave you on your own like that! Someone needs to help and it might as well be me!"

Something seemed to shatter deep within Kuro and he suddenly slumped forward, sighing. "Fine; do whatever you want. But I'm not taking responsibilty for anything that happens." His eyes slid up to meet Mahiru's; they looked dark, almost the deep blue of an ocean, and so empty that Mahiru felt a tremor run down his spine.

_What happened to you_.

"But this is all on you."


	3. Alleyway Altercations

"Right!" Mahiru muttered, aiming for cheerful as he pushed open the door. "Then I guess... welcome home?"

Kuro simply shot him a dirty look before leaning down to undo the laces on his shoes. "I hope you're not going to be the kind of exhausting person who insists on greetings every day."

Mahiru frowned down at the mop of silvery hair for a moment before cuffing him forcefully on the back of the head. "Manners are a must!" Leaving Kuro by the door rubbing his head irritatedly, Mahiru made his way into the kitchen. It was late and with as long as it had taken to convince Misono that he was honestly taking Kuro home with him he was surprised there was even still a setting sun to cast a frail light through the curtains. Rolling up his sleeves he glanced back over his shoulder to try to catch sight of Kuro. "What do you want for dinner?"

Kuro's face peered out from around the corner of the hallway, his eyebrows drawn down in confusion. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because you still haven't eaten!" Mahiru shouted, his annoyance nearly boiling over. "Don't think I didn't notice that sad crumbled pile of sandwich on your plate!"

Thin fingers reached up to tug at a chunk of visible hair and Kuro's lips did something complicated. "I don't need a lot."

"I don't care what you think you need. I'm asking what you want."

A small silence filled the apartment as they stared at each other. The falling sun threw a warm glow over Kuro and for the first time Mahiru could see what he would look like healthy and cared for. The even tone to his skin, the soft fall of his hair, all painted with a heat from the sky that he didn't have in him himself. The gentle lighting smeared the dark circles under his eyes into nothing more than every day shadows and Mahiru found himself wondering how much sleep one had to miss out on to end up with such dark marks.

"... noodles."

It was a barely there whisper and Mahiru wouldn't have caught it if he hadn't been focusing all his attention on the other man. "Noodles?" He asked. "What kind?"

Kuro gazed at him for a seemingly infinite moment before he turned in on himself again. "Doesn't matter. Whatever is fine. It's such a bother when you start to fuss." He began to retreat back into the living room when Mahiru found himself lunging forward, grabbing a handful of lank sweater. Kuro looked at him in surprise but didn't pull away.

"I just care." He didn't know why he felt the need to stress that sentiment so much but he couldn't seem to stop the flow of words from falling from his mouth into the suddenly stagnant air. "You look near death. You're too thin and you've been outside almost all day in nothing but this sweater. You're going to get sick! I just want to help." He forced his mouth shut, feeling oddly put out. "I just realized... I've never seen you in anything but these clothes."

Kuro raised an eyebrow and sighed tiredly. "Mahiru. I don't have anything but these clothes."

Another long silence descended as Mahiru tried to digest this information without flying off the metaphorical handle. "Well. I guess you'll just have to borrow some of mine!" He ran a practiced eye over Kuro. "I think, except for height, we're pretty similar in size. And fortunately tomorrow is Saturday! We can head out and get you something more suitable for the long run. I'm afraid all I've got that will fit your legs are track pants." He laughed, mildly embarrassed.

Kuro shrugged his shoulders noncommittally and tried once again to back away, his eyes already mapping out the living room and what was discernible of the hallway leading to the back rooms. "Whatever."

Mahiru held on for a couple more seconds, studying him, before letting go and turning back towards the kitchen. "I'll call when it's ready." Kuro was already disappearing over the edge of the couch by the time he'd come around the edge of the counter.

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair aside from a brief scuffle during which Mahiru attempted to put Kuro in a choke hold to force him to eat the broccoli that had been mixed in with the sauce. He'd noticed Kuro picking it out stealthily and lining it up along the side of the bowl and quickly intervened, but Kuro was stronger than he looked and Mahiru was almost immediately outmatched, finding himself pinned to the ground under the table as Kuro looked accusingly down at him.

"What do you think you're trying to pull?" He asked, flicking a displeased look up to his bowl and back again.

"You can't just pick out the vegetables!" Mahiru yelled, struggling to free his arms. "You have to have a balanced diet and broccoli is good for you!"

"I physically can not summon the energy to care about my health."

"Then I'll do it for you! Just eat the damn broccoli!" Kuro sat back, a look of soft shock on his face. "What?" Mahiru demanded, feeling caught. "What's wrong now?"

"Nothing." Kuro hopped to his feet. "I just don't understand you."

"It's simple." Mahiru insisted, sitting up and rubbing his wrists. "You need a certain amount of-"

"Yeah yeah. Spare me the lecture." Kuro held up a hand, looking away. "You're not my mom." Mahiru bit his tongue, lowering his gaze to study the cuffs of his pants. It was true, he supposed. But who was Kuro's mother?

A hand waved itself in his face, breaking him from his musings and he looked up to see Kuro leaning over him. "Come on. Get off the floor. That's my stick."

Mahiru grinned and grabbed the proffered hand, noting that the skin was pleasantly smooth and unexpectedly warm. "Hey, you wanna watch a movie?" He asked, still holding onto the hope that they could come to a compromise over at least one thing. Kuro's mouth quirked in surprise and his eyes flashed to the TV and back. "I mean, unless you'd like to get to bed. I'll have to make up the guest room really quick, I don't use it much." Mahiru tried to laugh but it came out awkwardly. "It's usually just me here because-"

"No romance movies." Kuro said quietly. "And I want popcorn."

"I can do that." Mahiru agreed, smiling.

* * *

Laying in the dark, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, Kuro found that for once he was incapable of sleep. Normally the second he was horizontal the dull haze began to pull at his mind and he found himself drifting down, beneath a tide of apathy and exhaustion. But now, his stomach full of expertly cooked broccoli, wearing soft, clean clothes, beneath fresh sheets, he found he could do nothing but gaze into the ink hovering near the walls and curtain edges, coalescing in the corners of the room, and worry.

He hadn't wanted any of this to happen. It was so much easier when he simply slunk from shadow to shadow, ignoring everyone and everything around him. The world was such a drag. Every day he felt the fatigue and weariness gnawing at his bones, down, down, down to the marrow until nothing was left but a bloody mess.

God, he was so tired.

* * *

Mahiru tried for the tenth time to stop his ears from straining for any sound coming from the room across the hall. It was obvious that either Kuro was asleep or taking great pains to remain absolutely silent. He considered getting up under the guise of getting a glass of water but rejected the plan as juvenile.

It wasn't that he felt uncomfortable with another person in the house. Quite the contrary really. It was a relief to know that were he to walk those twenty feet and knock on the door, someone would be there to answer. No, it was more a tenseness born from a worry that Kuro himself was uncomfortable. After all, hadn't he basically been forced into this? All concerns from his friends and real danger aside, he hadn't seemed keen on this solution, sulking and muttering sarcastic commentary all through the negotiations. But Mahiru had pressed on, just as he always did, and everyone had agreed, just as they always did.

Surely this had been the right choice?

* * *

The next morning broke overcast, the sun struggling to shine through the oppressive winter sky and Mahiru spent a solid twenty minutes fretting and fussing, trying to find something warm for Kuro to wear that would fit his lanky frame. His torment was finally put to an end by an exasperated Kuro who claimed that despite what a pain going anywhere would be he rather just go than stand there another second while Mahiru darted around the apartment in a tizzy.

"It's so tiresome." He claimed, wrapping a loosely knitted scarf around his neck and looking expectantly at Mahiru. "Let's just get this over with."

Mahiru hesitated only a second more before reaching up and rearranging the scarf Kuro had haphazardly tied, then bending down to lace his own boots, missing the perplexed look Kuro gave him.

"Ok! Then let's go!"

All had been normal, shopping bags adorning their arms, and wallet considerably lighter, when a sullen dimness unfurled from the alley and hurled itself forward. Before he even had time to shout Mahiru felt himself flung sideways, crashing against the bricks and falling to his knees. Looking up he was met with the sight of Kuro locked hand to hand with another man. His sluggish brain managed to piece together that the man was what had come skulking from the shadows but the idea of any one honest to god fighting (especially Kuro, his brain insisted) was something he couldn't quite process.

He struggled up to his feet, hands splayed out in front of him and took an unsteady step forward. "Kuro, I-"

The figure spun faster than lightening, ducking under Kuro's hold and came at him. Mahiru felt his body lock up in shock and wondered how this one moment could stretch so far when Kuro's yell pierced his abstraction and he felt rather than heard the heavy collision of Kuro with the back of the stranger. The man staggered under the weight and Kuro leaned over his shoulder, turning wide eyes on Mahiru.

"Run, you idiot!"

Mahiru stared back, unable to comprehend the command.

"Mahiru! Go!" Kuro continued frantically, his arms snaking around the neck of the man. "Not sure how long I can keep this up."

"Then let me help you!" He shouted, finally finding his voice, and jumped forward. Kuro's objections were lost in the sea of cursing coming from the man and Mahiru had just long enough to recognize the flash of silver for what it was before there was a spurt of red. Kuro fell back, hand to his head, and Mahiru's knees almost buckled at the sight. The blood was dripping down through his fingers, matting the hair on the left side of his face, staining the shirt he'd borrowed from a laughing Mahiru just that morning. It said 'feed me' in large font down the front and Mahiru had joked that it was the perfect shirt for a stray cat.

The words were being lost in the red.

A hand shot forward, grabbing the neck of Mahiru's jacket and lifting him up. His feet kicked through empty space and he had the distinct, surreal impression of floating just a centimeter from the ground before a second hand wrapped securely around his throat and a voice wormed its way into his ears.

"So this is the little troublemaker that stuck his nose where it doesn't belong."

Mahiru gasped, wishing desperately that he legs were just a touch longer, just an inch more, so he could at least try to kick his way free. Black dots were beginning to float into his vision and he had the passing thought that he hoped Kuro wouldn't feel responsible for this.

"Let him go." Kuro's voice was pitched low, darker than the edges of Mahiru's sight, and even in the throes of unconsciousness he felt a shiver run through his muscles. It was a voice unlike any he'd heard from Kuro. It was slow and deep, unconcerned. But more than that, it was dangerous.

The man turned his head just a fraction, opening his mouth to reply, when he was thrown backwards, grip pulling free of Mahiru's throat. He landed some ten feet back with a crash. Mahiru slumped to the ground, choking on the sudden influx of oxygen and looked up to see Kuro stalking towards the prone figure, hands clenched at his sides. He was snarling something Mahiru was too dizzy to parse the meaning of but his instincts recoiled in fear all the same and he attempted to stand, grasping at the wall to try to lever himself up.

"Kuro. Stop." His voice was too quiet, too weak to cross the gap of the alley and Kuro was right on top of the man now, his hands fisted in his hair, pulling him up off the ground until they were face to face. Mahiru breathed as deeply as he could and launched himself forward. "KURO!" He made contact and his arms immediately wrapped themselves around Kuro's shoulders. "Kuro stop!" Kuro went rigid beneath him and his fingers lost their grip. The man slipped to the ground and lay slumped over, breathing shallowly, staring up at them warily. "That's enough! Don't kill him!" Mahiru felt Kuro's breath hitch and he leaned his head against the side of Kuro's, his tears soaking into the white strands that were just as soft as they looked.

"Let go, Mahiru." Kuro muttered gently and Mahiru loosened his grip in small, excruciating increments until he was sliding unsteadily to the ground. He glanced down to see that the figure that had lain at their feet had at some point scurried away without their noticing and found he could only feel a vague sense of relief at the discovery.

"I don't... don't suppose that was one of his lackeys?" Mahiru attempted to ask in a casual tone, but it was ruined by the straw layering his voice and he saw Kuro's shoulders begin to cave in on themselves. "Kuro?"

"You should go home." It was said quietly and Mahiru leaned forward wondering if he'd misheard.

"You're right. We shouldn't stay here. Let's go." He scooped up the bags he'd dropped and looked over to see Kuro silhouetted by the weakly flickering streetlight, his face a perfect mask of shock. "What is it?"

"How can you say that?" Kuro's voice was disbelieving, almost sharp in it's utter confusion.

"We can't just stand here all night!" Mahiru exclaimed, feeling the anxiety beginning to work its way through the solid wall of adrenaline he had had dumped into his blood stream. "What if he comes back? What if there are more of them? We need to go!"

Kuro seemed to hesitate for just a second more before his expression clouded over and he stuck his hands in his pockets. He shuffled back to Mahiru's side and turned towards the mouth of the alley, waiting for Mahiru to take the first step. Mahiru opened his mouth, intending to ask if Kuro was in need of medical attention when he suddenly began to sway lightly, the air around him taking on an almost claustrophobic feeling. Perhaps he hadn't slept enough last night, maybe he wasn't breathing properly, or-

It was the last thought he had before falling down to the alley paving, his mind swimming in tar and shying away from the heavy waves of fear and panic coating his thoughts.

* * *

He jolted awake, a gasp forcing its way through his lips. Above, the widely paced headlights of cars flashed peacefully by on the ceiling of his bedroom. He turned his head, glancing at the clock on the table. The time read 1:34 AM. Slowly he flexed his fingers, then toes, noting that his shoes had been removed.

"What happened." He asked the empty room. "That wasn't a dream, right?" He sat up tentatively and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. When no dizziness assaulted him, he stood up. Someone had carried him back. His last memory was the cold of the concrete in the alley pressing against his cheek and now here he was, wrapped up in a blanket, sleeping soundly in his bed. There was a small part of him that desperately wanted to just lay back down, pulling the blankets tightly over his head, pretending that a few more hours of sleep would alter reality.

But the strongest urge was to find Kuro. Because, thinking about it simply, it was obvious who had brought him home.

There were no lights on in the living room, the TV merely a dark shape against the wall, and Mahiru found himself tiptoeing quietly. A survey of the room had his pulse spiking until he noticed the even darker shape curled into the corner of the couch. It was silent save for the occasional slush of car tires through the streets and Mahiru wasn't sure what to say. What did one talk about in the middle of the night after surviving a knife fight?

"Thank you." He finally croaked, grimacing when his voice cracked. The figure on the couch flinched as though he'd screamed at the top of his lungs and sorrowful, ageless eyes locked onto his unerringly despite the endless night flooding the room.

"Did you hit your head?" Kuro asked, mock casually. "What are you thanking me for?"

Mahiru took several steps closer to the couch, watching for telltale signs that Kuro was about to bolt. "You carried me home, didn't you?" When there was no answer he went closer, spoke just a touch louder. "You saved my life, didn't you?" Still no response. "So thank you." He reached out and placed a hand on Kuro's shoulder.

"Don't thank me." Kuro murmured. "It was my fault this happened in the first place." Mahiru opened his mouth to argue when Kuro ducked out from under his hand. "I'll be gone in the morning, so don't worry."

Mahiru felt the breath leave his lungs, his hands growing cold. "What do you mean?"

"Once they realize I'm out of your hair they won't bother you again." Mahiru could do nothing but stare at Kuro, feeling the panic warp his features into something foreign. "Or I could go now." Kuro amended, misinterpreting the look on his face. "I just didn't want ya waking up alone, I guess..." A self conscious finger came up to fiddle with a curl of hair, lightly dig at soft skin. "But you're up now."

"Don't!" Mahiru cried, his hands shooting forward to grab the edges of the shirt Kuro had never changed out of. "Kuro, you-" He broke off, his eyes widening impossibly as he felt the dry flaking of the blood under his fingers. "Oh fuck! You got cut! How did I forget?!" He began to pull the other boy towards the bathroom. "Come on, we have to disinfect it. Who knows what was on that knife. Do you feel dizzy? Should we go to the hospital?" Silence met his questions and he looked back over his shoulder worriedly.

Kuro was half in shadow, his mouth tight, drawn down at the edges. As Mahiru watched, his fingers twitched, displaying the nervous energy that the rest of his body language hid so well.

"Kuro?" He whispered.

"What are you doing?" He asked flatly.

Mahiru scrunched his eyebrows together in puzzlement. "We have to get you cleaned up. And preferably to a doctor."

"Mahiru. You were just attacked. You were almost killed." Kuro said slowly, as though talking to someone hearing impaired. "You should be running as far as you can away from me."

"Why would I do that?" Deep inside Mahiru could sense his dread and fear bubbling up again, brought back by the reminder of the alley, but one look at Kuro's expression had the emotions crushed back down. "I said I'd help you, didn't I?" He squared his shoulders and strengthened the grip he had on Kuro's shirt. "Now come on. The simplest thing to do is to get you patched up, then we can decide what to do next."

Kuro exhaled weakly. "Just what are you?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Your friend! Now come on."

"... What a pain."


	4. Habitual Hostilities

**A/N **yu guys redy 4 sum sap?

* * *

Depsite what appeared to be extensive knowledge and experience with combat, Kuro turned out to be a lightweight when it came to pain.

"Mahiruuu," he moaned. "Stop it. It hurts."

"Suck it up!" Mahiru commanded, dabbing the antiseptic along Kuro's hair line. The blood had obviously continued to flow freely for quite some time, Kuro having done nothing to staunch it after returning to the apartment and Mahiru had spent the better part of the last ten minutes cleaning away the dried remnants with a warm cloth and was now faced with his first real knife wound. "I wish you'd mentioned this right away." He fretted, frowning down at the deep gash. "This might need stitches."

"No problem. You look like you'd be handy with a needle and thread." Kuro yawned.

Ignoring the jab, Mahiru gently swept Kuro's hair back to get a better look. The cut had gone deep and far, running from the end of his eyebrow back past his ear. "I think you might have a scar from this." He said worriedly.

Kuro shrugged, unconcerned, and turned his eyes to Mahiru's in the mirror. "Won't be the first."

Mahiru felt his eyes widen and he had to bite down on his tongue to resist the urge to demand to know where the others were. As far as he'd seen, which admittedly wasn't much, Kuro's skin had been as unmarred as anyone elses. But, he mused, if Kuro had gotten into fights like this frequently- and the way he'd reacted last night, immediately and confidently, spoke volumes- who was to say just how many threats he'd faced down. Mahiru was beginning to think that he had, in fact, volunteered himself for something far outside his expertise.

"I know I've asked this several times but are you SURE we can't go to the hospital?" He asked, still staring down at the hair he was holding back. "I can try my best but it won't be anything comparable to what a real doctor could do."

"No doctors. No police." Kuro repeated.

"Fine, fine." He bit his lip." I honestly don't think it's safe to use regular thread for this. So a butterfly bandage is going to have to do it." He was turning to reach behind him for the first aid kit in the closet when a thought struck and he swung back around, locking his gaze with Kuro's. "You promise you'll tell me if you start feeling sick? Anything at all! Dizzy, or hot, or cold, or-"

"I promise already." Kuro muttered. "Jeez, you really worry too much, you know that? All that panicking is bad for your health. You're going to see an early grave with that worry wart attitude."

Mahiru huffed angrily, preparing to launch into a speech defending his stance on proper safety and precautions when he registered the teasing lilt to Kuro's voice. He lowered his gaze, a soft smile on his lips. "You're such a jerk."

* * *

"Misono! Please! Take a deep breath or something!" Mahiru pleaded, holding the phone an arms length away and staring helplessly at Kuro. On the other end of the line continued a nonstop stream of heated swearing and what sounded like glass breaking. Kuro shrugged, grinning for a moment before falling backwards out of sight on the couch. Mahiru stared at the worn fabric backing, feeling betrayed. "I already told you, we're both fine!"

"Bull_shit_!" Misono yelled. "That bastard! Picking fights in the middle of the afternoon! What kind of fucking shit is that?!"

"When SHOULD he have done it?" Kuro muttered sarcastically from beneath one of the couch cushions.

Mahiru grimaced in his general direction and set the phone down on the table. "I'm sure they could recognize me now. That's the real problem here."

Misono paused in his tirade, the sudden silence a clear question.

"Simply put, Kuro isn't safe here any more." The man in question popped back up over the couch, staring intently at Mahiru, who avoided meeting his gaze. "I don't think it's a good idea if he stays with me. If they know who I am, they know where I live."

"Mahiru listen." Lily's voice came floating softly from the phone speaker. "If that's really what happened then I'm sure they've had you pegged from the start. Neither of you should stay there."

Fiddling with the sleeves of his shirt, Mahiru took a deep breath. "So I was thinking... Kuro could come and stay with you two." Ignoring the argumentative sigh from the couch, he continued. "You have enough space don't you? And... if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to come with."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kuro leap over the back of the couch and come stalking toward him, his empty expression at odds with the tension held in his shoulders. Trying to duck around the counter and avoid him, Mahiru almost missed Lily's delighted laugh. "That's a wonderful idea! I was about to suggest the same."

"Lily! Lily, give me back the phone!"

"Calm down, Misono." Lily chided gently, his voice muffled. "Now then, when shall we pick you two up?"

"No one is picking any one up." Kuro's voice was suddenly directly behind him and Mahiru started and tried to dodge, but a hand snatched the phone from his and flipped it shut.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He demanded, rounding on a clearly irritated Kuro. "That was horribly rude!"

"What do you think _you're_ doing?"

Momentarily at a loss Mahiru just stared up into eyes that were somehow deeply exasperated and exhausted at the same time. "It's not safe for you here. So, looking at it logically, the next best place is Misono's, right? They seem far more prepared to deal with this kind of thing anyway. I think we'll stand a much better chance there."

Kuro closed his eyes briefly, eyebrows drawing down before he handed the phone back. "Mahiru. Whether I go or not isn't an issue. Because you're not coming with me."

"Yes, I am!"

"You have no idea what you're dealing with." Kuro said flatly. "You're in way over your head. You're still free to walk away. And you're going to." He paused, searching Mahiru's face, and then averted his eyes. "Honestly, the way you are, you'll just get in the way and be a huge pain. I don't want to deal with it." He turned away, his expression lost behind the sharp curve of his cheek.

"Then I'll change!"

Kuro whirled around, dropping the spatula he'd been fiddling with back on the counter, shoulders slumping in shock. "What."

"Train me. Teach me to fight or whatever it is I need to do!" Mahiru exclaimed, taking a step forward. "I want to help you!"

Kuro took an answering step back, bumping into one of the chairs kept under the kitchen island. Soul deep annoyance was painted across every inch of him, but there was a glimmer of light just below the surface, swirling through the practiced act of disinterest. "You-" His hands came up to grasp the counter behind him. "You don't know what you're saying."

"I do!" Mahiru insisted, leaning forward. "I said I'd help you and I meant it! You seemed to really know what you were doing last night! You can teach me, can't you? I want to be your partner!"

Surprise crossed Kuro's face before it was replaced by what looked suspiciously like embarrassment. "Why do you have to phrase things like that?"

Mahiru stared at him in puzzlement before the possible connotations of what he had said registered and he felt his face heat in mortification. "Shut up! It's you taking them in a weird way!"

The phone in his hand began ringing, interrupting the argument and they both glanced down at it in shock as though they'd forgotten it was there. Mahiru smiled sheepishly and hit the accept button. "Hey, sor-"

"-astard! How dare you hang up on me! I'll have you know that last time someone did that I- Lily! Lily, unhand me!"

"Mahiru?" Lily called over Misono's yells. "I've sent the car. It should be there in about thirty minutes. I hope that wasn't presumptuous of me."

"No, no! Thank you!" Mahiru blurted. "Uhm."

"The driver has your number and will text you when he's there." Lily said kindly. "You should pack for an extended stay."

"Alright. I guess we'll see you soon then." He muttered, hanging up and already filing through all the things he would need to either bring or secure around the apartment. He supposed they could come back if anything of importance was forgotten but that seemed like an unnecessary complication. He turned to Kuro and laughed. "I guess it's good I don't have any pets! I almost picked up a stray cat once but I found a better home for it." Kuro just stared at him silently and Mahiru felt his smile slip and he ducked back a step. "I have spare suitcases, so I'll go get you one!"

While searching through the hall closet he couldn't help feeling that once again he had overstepped his boundaries with the other boy. But Kuro seemed to need to be prodded into making any decisions at all, even when they revolved around life and death. Perplexed didn't even begin to describe Mahiru's thoughts on the matter. Seeing the bag he was looking for on the top shelf he jumped up, stretching up his arm to grab it. Well, no matter. He was certain he'd made the right choice.

* * *

Misono's house (mansion was more accurate) was astounding in it's proportions. Mahiru had never seen anything like it in his life. His nose pressed against the glass of the cars rear window, he could barely see to the top spire. Clouds seemed to be floating past bedroom windows and walls stretched farther back than the horizon line.

"Kuro! This place is amazing!" He turned in his seat to see Kuro hunched down, his fingers in his ears, scowling. "What's wrong?"

"Do you have to be so loud?" He complained. "I can't handle this."

"Don't you ever have any fun?" Mahiru asked, frowning. "I know this isn't the most ideal of circumstances but we can at least make the best of it!"

"You're so exhaustingly positive." Kuro groaned, pulling the hood of his coat down over his eyes.

Mahiru punched him lightly on the arm. "Come on! I'm sure it won't be so bad!" Kuro's brows furrowed and he rubbed the spot sullenly.

As the car pulled up the drive, a small child came running down the massive front steps, waving her arms excitedly. Behind her the doors opened wider and Lily slipped out, smiling lightly, a cigarette dangling from lax fingers.

"I didn't know Lily smoked." Mahiru said in surprise, watching the smoke curl upwards.

"Lily has many bad habits." Kuro muttered darkly, glowering at the jaunty figure leaning against the doorway. "That isn't even the tip of the iceberg."

Before Mahiru could ask what he meant, his door opened and a man leaned down. "Your bags sir?"

"Just take them to the blue bedroom, please." Lily interjected. At his approach the man bowed deeply and hurried around to the rear of the car. "Mahiru, Kuro, it's wonderful to see you two safe and sound."

"Yeah, yeah." Kuro leaned past Mahiru, wrinkling his nose. "Put out that cigarette, Lily. It smells terrible."

"Oh! My apologies." Lily sang brightly. "I forgot how sensitive you are to smells." He stubbed it out on his boot and straightened. "If you'd be so kind as to follow me, I'm afraid Misono has prepared a bit of a speech for you."

Sighing, Kuro stepped out of the car and turned back to offer his hand. Mahiru glanced at it for a moment before grabbing hold and hoisting himself up. Lily smiled cheerfully as his eyes focused on their clasped hands and inexplicably Mahiru felt himself blushing. He pulled his hand back quickly, earning a look from Kuro, and rushed forward. He shook his head, hoping to clear the remaining fog of unease from his mind.

When they entered the front atrium the air suddenly chilled and Mahiru shivered. Trailing behind him slowly, Kuro let out a low whistle.

"I see there have been no expenses spared." He said sardonically, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not!" Lily waved a hand. "You know I don't believe in wasting financial windfalls." Kuro threw a threatening look at him and he smiled. "Oh, don't worry so much. I'm sure Mahiru will still think highly of you after he hears the story."

"What story?" Mahiru asked, glancing between them. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." Kuro muttered.

Lily looked at him sadly. "You can't keep him in the dark forever, you know."

Kuro opened his mouth to reply when a side door burst open, bouncing loudly against the wall, and Misono came charging out, a scowl on his face. "Lily, you told me you'd come get me when they were on their way!" Lily laughed and Misono froze, seeing them standing off to the side. "I hope you had a safe trip!" He intoned stiffly, arms at his sides.

Kuro rolled his eyes and heaved a put upon sigh, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I suppose this is going to turn into some merry little slumber party?"

"That was the idea, actually." Lily said, gesturing behind him. "In fact, Hugh and Hyde are already here."

Mahiru saw Kuro stiffen, eyes darting to the farthest door and away. "Who are Hugh and Hyde?" He asked curiously, ignoring the other boys obvious discomfort.

"Why, our other brothers."

"Everyone but you agreed right away to come here." Misono said harshly, crossing his arms. "And look how it turned out."

"Hey! It was your idea for him to stay with me in the first place!" Mahiru yelled angrily.

"I don't think-"

"Let's all retire to the sitting room, shall we?" Lily intervened, sweeping Misono before him. "I'm sure our other guests would appreciate some refreshments right about now."

As it turned out, the other guests included not only Hugh and Hyde but two others as well. They were seated around a small coffee table in the center of the room, watching as a boy with pitch black hair glowered at the fragile tea cup held between his fingers. One wearing glasses made a lunge for the cup and was promptly shoved bodily down to the ground by the former. He wiggled uselessly, his glasses slipping off and the tiniest laughed, pointing a finger.

Lily cleared his throat loudly and all four looked up. "Ah, Licht. Is the tea not to your liking then?"

The dark haired boy jumped up and rushed forward, ignoring the cries from his friend on the floor. He held out a hand to Lily, his expression grave. "It wasn't refreshing. Melon."

Lily blinked once, surprise etched across his features, before they melted back into a passive smile and he nodded. "Of course, right away!" He pulled out a small phone and typed something quickly before hitting send. "Give it ten minutes." He promised. Licht nodded, seemingly satisfied and turned his sharp gaze to Mahiru.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"Licht you can't just ask people that!" The blond one still sprawled on the ground shouted. "It's rude!"

"Uhm, my name's Mahiru." He said hesitantly and bowed his head slightly. Based on his looks, Licht was only nineteen or twenty at the most but something in his gaze left Mahiru with the feeling that he was speaking with someone far older.

Licht continued to study him with an unsettling intensity before nodding lightly. "Not bad." He declared mysteriously and turned away. Seeing his companion still lounging around below the table he scowled darkly and startled Mahiru when he suddenly barked at the other. "Hyde! Off the floor!"

"But you kicked me down here!" Hyde whined, wiggling again. "You've wounded me me!"

Licht's glare intensified. "We both know that's not true, you stupid rat."

"Hey-" Mahiru began when Hyde let loose a wild laugh and hopped lithely to his feet. He grinned ferally and his eyes slid past Mahiru to the shadow that was Kuro standing behind him.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" He exclaimed, mock surprise dripping from every syllable and Mahiru felt Kuro tense. "If it isn't everyone's favorite problem child!" Hyde smiled again, his eyes taking on a manic light. "How dare you show your face here?"

Kuro pushed past Mahiru, bumping into his shoulder and sending him stumbling. His expression had grown foreboding, rage radiating from every tilt and shift of his cells as he stalked forward. Mahiru caught himself on a small side table and looked between them in utter confusion. The air had become heavy and stifling, every eye in the room locked onto the two now circling each other like wild cats. His hands tightened on the edge of the table and he tried desperately to quiet his racing heart long enough to have a coherent thought. He never would have believed it possible but Kuro was terrifying him.

"Hey, hey." Lily said placatingly, sweeping forward and trying to get between them. "Hyde please listen, I-"

Hyde snarled something that sounded like "fuck off" and lunged under Lily's out stretched hands and tangled his fingers in Kuro's jacket. Kuro balked, attempting to shake him off but his hold was too true and he hung on like a leech. He lifted Kuro from the floor, leaning forward until they were almost nose to nose.

"I'm gonna beat you senseless." He said cheerfully, tone jarringly discordant with his words.

Faster than sound Kuro's fist came around, connecting squarely with Hyde's left cheek. His glasses went flying and despite the sudden, overwhelming influx of white noise buzzing in his head, Mahiru distinctly heard someone gasp. Hyde's grip faltered and Kuro crashed to the carpet. He was on his feet again, crouched defensively in a second, his eyes fixed on the other.

Hyde glanced down at him in shock before, once more, his face broke into a grin. His lip was split and a small fleck of blood went flying as he laughed. "Still got it after all this time?!" He clapped his hands slowly. "Bravo. Based on your decrepit appearance I was rather expecting you to hit like a grandma."

Kuro remained silent, watching every move Hyde made, his eyes dark and steady.

Hyde cocked a hip and splayed his hands carelessly. "What, no come back?" He asked. "Ah, well... you always were a boring FIGHT!" He shot forward aiming a knee at Kuro's face. Before Mahiru had time to so much as suck in a breath Kuro had dropped to the ground. Hyde's kick sailed harmlessly over him and he lunged forward, grabbing the leg Hyde was left standing on. With a powerful yank he fell back, successfully breaking Hyde's contact with the floor. He was already releasing his hold and on his feet, rushing forward, before Hyde had even pulled out of the back hand spring he'd fallen into. Kuro grabbed his shirt collar and jerked him up into the air; a perfect parallel to how they'd started.

Mahiru had watched all this with a sense of unstoppable dread, his feet glued to the floor, his hands numb and distant where they stretched away from his body to wrap around the lip of wood. Lily had said that Hyde was another of Kuro's brothers but this... this wasn't how you were with a brother. Kuro hadn't had this killers aura even in the alley way, even when the man had pulled a knife. Even when Mahiru had been on the edge of consciousness. Kuro was...

Tearing his gaze from the soft fibers of the richly embroidered rug beneath his feet Mahiru saw the moment when Hyde's hand twitched, aiming for a pocket hidden among the folds of his jacket, and in an act of pure reactionary instinct Mahiru flew forward, throwing himself against Kuro's tensed arms. He heard Hyde yell and winced as his ribs collided with hard muscle. The gunmetal gray switchblade clattered to the floor and Kuro took a step back, twisting to catch Mahiru before he could follow it down.

"Enough!" Licht's voice rang out, shattering the icy veneer of the atmosphere. "Hyde what the hell do you think you're doing?" There was a barely there waver of tension in his tone.

Hyde snorted from his spot on the ground. "Weren't you paying any attention Angel?" His eyes slid over to Mahiru, bright and calculating. "I was greeting my dear older brother. It's been so long since we've seen each other after all."

Struggling to keep his expression inscrutable Mahiru met his gaze and held it. The circle of Kuro's arms still around his waist were a welcoming comfort and he managed to outlast Hyde who lost focus when Licht kicked him squarely in the back. He tried to twist to see over his shoulder but Kuro's grip was still tight and the attempt proved fruitless. Contenting himself with leaning back until he rested lightly against the soft gray jacket he'd lent Kuro that morning, he barely moved his lips as he all but breathed, "Are you ok?" The arms around him loosened slightly and an answer was whispered into the hair just over his ear.

"Sure."

* * *

Hours later, after Lily profusely apologizing and Misono yelling and Hyde laughing maniacally and Licht throwing kicks right and left, Mahiru and Kuro found themselves sequestered in one of the mansions hundreds of spare rooms.

The walls were a calming blue, melting into the carpet and lending the room an almost aquatic feel. The weak evening light was struggling to permeate the curtains that Kuro had insisted be closed. After arguing for ten minutes Mahiru had simply thrown his hands in the air and surrendered, rationalizing that a semi relaxed Kuro was better than a panicked, paranoid one. Now, from his spot on the end of the bed Mahiru traced a single beam of sunlight across the floor to a worn sneaker. He hadn't managed to find a pair of shoes that Kuro would wear and suddenly, staring at it in all it's dirty glory, clashing with the lush velour of the carpeting, he found himself irrationally annoyed. Kuro had thrown a fit at every suggestion he'd made and refused to try on even one pair.

Irritation levels maxed out Mahiru stood up and squared his shoulders, determined to break the uneasy silence that had filled the room since he'd pulled the shades. Cautiously he approached Kuro who was resting on the arm of the little sofa across the way, his eyes trained on the locked door that lead to the hallway. Whether he felt trapped or was simply waiting for Hyde to make another appearance was anyone's guess but sitting here ignoring each other wasn't getting them anywhere.

"Kuro." Everything sounded unnecessarily loud after the heavy hush. "You know it's kinda spooky when you sit there like a statue." The joking tone was feeble and his voice threatened to shake but it was the best he could summon after the last twenty-four hours. "Maybe we should-" Suddenly Kuro swung around, leaning in until they were face to face and Mahiru tried not to jerk back, his gut twisting at the look on Kuro's face.

"How can you just sit there like that? You really must be crazy." He muttered, his delicate eyebrows and lips pulled impossibly down, eyes screaming, screaming, screaming in agitation.

Mahiru had wondered briefly if his little stunt earlier would land him in hot water and it seemed it had. A million things to say ran through his mind but all he could choke out was a breathy "I'm sorry".

Kuro's features melted into utter shock and he raised a brow. "What are you talking about?"

"You're mad because I butted into the thing with your brother earlier, aren't you?" Mahiru averted his eyes and chewed his lip. "I know it probably wasn't my place but I saw when he- I thought that- I just couldn't-" He broke off, unable to clarify what it was that he'd suddenly found himself incapable of allowing. Was it the idea of Kuro or his brother hurting each other? Because they were family? Or was it just Kuro he'd been worried about?

Kuro's lips did something complicated and Mahiru watched tensely. "So, let me get this straight. You're apologizing for stopping me from potentially becoming a pin cushion, because you think, _I_ _think__, _it's not your place?" Kuro tilted his head curiously, disbelief rampant in his tone. Mahiru's throat had gone dry, parched, like he'd swallowed a gallon of desert sand so he only nodded. Kuro remained eerily silent as the driveway lights slowly flickered on outside, their beams replacing what little essence of the sun had been filtering through of the windows earlier. Heaving a sigh, Kuro shook his head, hair swinging wildly. "Man, you really are a total moron." Before Mahiru had a chance to respond Kuro shot an arm forward and around, catching him in the chest and pushing him onto the couch. He leaned down, eyes locked on Mahiru's, luminous despite the weak artificial light. "You're damn right I'm pissed." Mahiru flinched. "But not because I give a shit about that asshole. I'm _angry _because you threw yourself into the middle of a fight that you have no chance of holding your own in. Just what exactly do you think this is, Mahiru?"

The question caught Mahiru off guard and he found himself resorting to anger. "Well, I have no idea do I!" He almost yelled. "And I won't _ever_ know if _someone_ doesn't start _explaining_!" He snapped his mouth shut and glared with as much intensity as he could at the surprise flitting across Kuro's face. It was still just inches from his and he found himself examining the tired eyes that always seemed to be watching him. This close it was easy to see that they were actually a mix of steel grays and stormy blues; like a lightening storm, bright and airy, brighter than Mahiru had originally thought. Unable to look away he yelped in shock when a finger poked him in the sensitive dip below his collarbone.

"Were you dropped on your head as a baby?" Kuro asked lightly. "Because it's really the only explanation I can think of for you being like this."

"Like what?" Mahiru mumbled dazedly, finally tearing his eyes away.

"A complete and utter pain in the ass."

Mahiru huffed out a breath but refused to respond, staring sullenly at the wall over Kuro's shoulder and crossing his arms.

"Mahiru."

He closed his eyes.

"Mahiru..."

He pressed his lips together and grimaced.

"Ma-hi-ru." Kuro pulled the syllables out, turning it into an almost lilting whine and poked him again, this time in the ribs, and Mahiru struggled to keep himself from smiling but felt his lips wobbling traitorously.

"Fine, fine!" He blurted, turning his gaze back to Kuro's. "Think what you want but I'm here to help. And I can't do that if I don't understand. Please, explain it to me, ok?" He added.

Kuro frowned and finally leaned away, sliding sideways to flop down onto the seat next to Mahiru. "I don't want to. Honestly, it's just such a bother-"

"Don't do that!" Mahiru interrupted fiercely. "Don't hide like that; don't pretend that you're just too lazy to deal with life. I know you're not. So it won't work on me." Kuro turned curious eyes on him and he smiled. "I know deep down you're a good guy. So don't sell yourself short. And don't be afraid. I'm here for you."

What looked unbelievably like a blush forced its way onto Kuro's pale cheeks and he jerked his head away, reaching up to pull the collar of the jacket tighter around his neck. "How can you say such cheesy stuff with a straight face? Man, I can't deal with that."

Mahiru's face heated in response and he looked away too. "Shut up! You're the one always bringing it up! It's normal to reassure your friends!"

"What makes you think I'm good?" Kuro asked quietly, all hints of teasing gone.

Mahiru pursed his lips and stared up at the ceiling for a moment, thinking. "A lot of things come to mind but I guess the biggest give away was the other night in the alley."

"A random guy pops out and tries to kill you for being with me and you translate that as me having the moral high ground?" Kuro muttered sarcastically.

Laughing, Mahiru shook his head before looking over, waiting for Kuro to meet his eyes. "No." He said softly. "It was because you didn't run away."


	5. A Truants Tendencies

**A/N **brace for passive aggressive quarreling in 3, 2, 1-

* * *

Kuro's mouth fell open comically and Mahiru resisted the urge to laugh. "Don't look so surprised!"

"Your basis for my moral fiber is that I didn't run away and leave you with a knife wielding maniac in a dark alley?"

"Of course." Mahiru said calmly. "Really. You could have just used me as a chance to escape. Especially since..." He trailed off nervously. "Since you basically got forced into staying with me any way. I realized that I kind of just decided on my own and dragged you along. So I'm sorry for that too." He looked down at his hands, clasped tightly in his lap. "I tend to take charge and not think about how the other person feels."

A warm hand came to rest tentatively on his forearm and he briefly cataloged all the times Kuro had been the first to initiate any kind of physical contact. A quiet sigh drew him from his thoughts and Kuro squeezed once before letting go.

"I should be thanking you. I think-" He broke off and grimaced. "I think you're probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met." He looked out the window, his hair hiding the last quarter of his expression. "And that's after I tried my damnedest to piss you off. I didn't want any one interfering and complicating things. It's always easier if I just do it on my own. I get my orders, I do them, I sleep it off."

Mahiru bit his tongue trying to keep the boundless curiosity out of his expression. Kuro had just let slip something potentially revealing and though Mahiru had no way of knowing if it was accidental or on purpose, both options were welcome. Trust was trust even if it was subconscious.

There was a crash from the hallway and they both jumped, turning towards the door.

"... Hyde?" Mahiru asked uncertainly.

Kuro shook his head. "No. I don't think so."

Suddenly a child's giggle rang through the silence, followed by another shattering sound and Misono's agitated voice combating it.

Mahiru laughed as he realized that it must have been Misono chasing one of his friends through the house and running into things but broke off when he noticed the protective pose Kuro had taken; angling his body in front of Mahiru, arm out, blocking him from the door. It was a strange reminder that he had much more serious things to deal with. He needed to learn to hold his own. He needed to find a way to be something other than a hindrance to Kuro in a fight.

"What do you suppose is the little short ones deal?" Kuro asked, looking over his shoulder. Whatever expression Mahiru had was cause for his casual attitude to drop and he frowned. "What's wrong?"

Mahiru reached up and grabbed his shoulders. "I just remembered! You're supposed to be teaching me to fight!" Kuro groaned and Mahiru shook him a bit. "No, no! This is important! I don't want to hold you back!"

"Mahiru. Listen to me." Kuro ducked from underneath his hands and stooped so they were eye level with each other. There was a long pause as Kuro stared at him and Mahiru felt his heart rate increasing with his nerves, anticipating some undeniable argument, some reason he was going to be left behind, but when Kuro finally opened his mouth all he said was "I don't want to."

"Are you kidding me?!" Mahiru yelled exasperatedly. He clunked a fist down on top of Kuro's head. "I thought you were going to say something profound!"

Kuro sighed, rubbing his wounded scalp. "It _was_ profound. I profoundly don't want to."

"But _why_." Mahiru demanded.

"It's a lot of work." He shrugged unconcernedly.

"Is that really the reason?" Mahiru asked slowly, reaching over to turn on the light on the side table, twisting so he was facing the opposite direction. Perhaps looking away would give Kuro some incentive to be more honest; Mahiru had been discovering that while he said any number of cruel, lazy, or insensitive things, Kuro usually had some hidden motive for saying them, a secret hint of what he couldn't bring himself to say, what he really meant. He seemed to hope and even depend on Mahiru to see through them. By looking away Mahiru wondered if he'd earn a somewhat more truthful statement.

A loud sigh fluttered through the air and Kuro slouched lower against the back of the couch.

Sensing a wall, Mahiru tried another approach. "It's Sunday."

Kuro glanced over at him, baffled. "So?"

Mahiru took a deep breath and held it a moment before blowing it out roughly. "What are we going to do about class?" He finally demanded, his lips tugging down in anguish. "And I worked so hard on that map too. Do you suppose I could mail it in?"

Not seeming to be able to help himself Kuro burst out laughing. "Are you seriously worried about that?"

"And the cafe! I don't work again until Thursday but I can't just keep calling in. And if they fire me I'm screwed!" What started as a ploy to distract Kuro had quickly become a convincing list of reasons to fret and Mahiru threw his head back and groaned. "This is the worst."

"I'm... sorry."

Mahiru glanced over to see Kuro with his head down, staring a hole into the ornate cushions, shoulders weighed down with guilt. He reached over and, after a moments hesitation, yanked on a lock of that shockingly soft hair. Kuro started and scowled at him, slapping his hand away. "Don't apologize. I'm glad I'm here with you."

Kuro stared at him silently before turning away to hide a small, timid smile as it worked its way stealthily onto his face. "So cheesy."

* * *

In the cold, harsh reality of day Mahiru was forced to come to terms with something he'd hoped he'd never have to do. He was going to have to call in to class. He was going to have to think of a convincing lie and fake his way through the conversation, ending the call before his guilt could strangle him. There was no way in hell anyone was going to buy it.

"I can hear you hyperventilating from over here." Kuro's sleepy voice was muffled by the quilt hiding him and Mahiru wondered how he could tell from underneath all that cotton (or was it silk?).

"I can't help it! I've never skipped class before!"

Kuro abruptly threw the covers off and eyed him across the space between their beds incredulously. "Are you kidding me? You've NEVER cut class?" His tone had a suggestion of pity in it and Mahiru bristled.

"Of course not! Why would I?"

Kuro snorted. "Why wouldn't you?"

"I suppose you've cut class a lot then?" Mahiru asked offhandedly, reaching for his phone to check the time. It was just past 6 in the morning; he'd have to call soon. When Kuro didn't respond immediately, he looked up. Kuro was staring out the window, his hands loosely folded in his lap. Feeling Mahiru's gaze he turned to look at him.

"I didn't really have a chance. Never went to college. I skipped plenty of high school I guess, but that doesn't really count." He paused, blinked slowly, twitched a finger. "Doesn't matter, didn't graduate anyway."

Mahiru remained silent, unsure what to say. It was a conversational turn he hadn't been anticipating. He could be cheerful and encouraging all day without a second thought, without stopping to catch his breath, but somehow it seemed that his usual attempts did nothing for Kuro, or sometimes even seemed to make things worse. Perhaps just casual commentary was all Kuro required. "What were you doing in my class then?"

Kuro surprised him by smirking. "Snuck in. Just wanted a quiet place to warm up. Figured most college students slept through class so I wouldn't attract any attention." He pushed his hair away from his face and snorted. "Typical luck I'd get stuck next to you, the ultimate power student."

"Hey!"

"You were so eager I could have died." He stood and padded past Mahiru's bed toward the in suite bathroom. "By the way-" He paused, peering down from the corner of his eye. "Camp four is on the North Col of Everest, not the south." His chuckle echoed softly down the small hallway for just a moment as Mahiru gaped after him in astonishment.

The sound of the shower being turned on broke him from his stupor and he glanced back down at his phone guiltily. Who was he turning into? Skipping class. His uncle wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry. All that money per month; all that work on that map! But suddenly he found himself grinning. _The North Col_! Really... Who would have guessed.

As he dialed the number for the school office he hopped out of bed, headed towards the door to the hall, intent on exploring whatever wing they had been placed in. Lily had mentioned last night that they were free to roam the mansion as they wished. He lingered by the doorway for a moment wondering whether to leave Kuro a note but ultimately decided against it. It seemed far too domestic.

Out in the hall the sun was just beginning to shine through the gauzy curtains lining the windows and Mahiru held his hand in the light, relishing the faint warmth it instilled in his skin. A voice from further down caught his attention and he meandered toward it, listening to the recorded message from the secretary. As he neared, he registered the faint agitation the voice held and flattened himself against the wall, inching closer and closer until he was right at the edge of the corner.

"Tell me what that was all about or I'll send you to hell right here and now!"

"Jeez, come on, come on. It wasn't a big deal. You're being really weird about this."

A resounding smack rang out, followed by a whine.

"Tell. Me. That was _not_ not a big deal. Since when do you pull switchblades?"

Mahiru pressed zero to speak to a person and strained his ears to hear Licht and Hyde over the elevator hold music now playing cheerily from the speaker.

"Licht, come on. It was just typical brother stuff-" The sound of a kick. "Ouch! Typical for _us. For us._"

"Why is it typical?"

"I really don't see why you're so hung up on this." Hyde's tone had soured and Mahiru could picture the angry tilt to his brows. "My brother. _Kuro_." He sneered the name. "He's a dick, alright? The biggest cad to ever slouch about the planet; and I don't like having to look at his washed out expression. Especially with no warning."

Silence greeted this declaration and Mahiru almost dropped his phone when the tinny voice of the administrator blared in his ear. He turned and fled down the hall as quickly as he could, trying to sound casual. "Uh, yeah hi. Sorry- this is Mahiru Shirota. I was calling to let professor Neff know that I wouldn't be in class today. So I need to-"

"Alright, I'll leave a note in the emails. Anything else?"

"Oh? Uhm, no. Thank you-"

"Have a good day."

There was a click and the line went dead. He stared down at the screen in surprise. That was it? He'd always thought it would be a lot more... difficult? When a hand suddenly landed heavily on his shoulder he felt his stomach clench, knowing without looking who the hand belonged to.

"My, oh my. Skipping class? How delinquent of you." Hyde whispered gleefully, pulling on his shirt and spinning him around. "Did my dearest brother befoul your good nature already? He is an awful influence I must say. Always besmirching everything and then running away like a coward."

Mahiru glared up, his hand clenching around his phone in anger. "He would never do something like that. Don't you dare talk about him that way."

Hyde's brows rose in mild surprise and he tilted his head. "Passionate words from someone who just met him." He smiled slyly. "What do you _really_ know about him?" His whisper seemed to ring through the hall and Mahiru struggled to keep his expression from slipping.

"I know enough. Please excuse me." He roughly pulled away and tried to sidestep the other man.

"You're not excused." The voice was right in his left ear and Mahiru barely had time to blink before he was grabbed and violently shoved. He stumbled, felt his foot slip, and as he tipped he tried to twist to catch himself. Hyde reached back out and this time grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him upright again. "Let me tell you a little story." His free hand came forward, landing with a smack on the side of Mahiru's head, who briefly saw stars, tasting a strange biting twinge high in the back of his throat. "It's a story about your new boyfriend. My big brother. The defiler. Is that too dramatic?" He cackled. "You see it all started when he was just a little-" The rest of his words were cut off as something (a shoe, Mahiru realized as it rolled across the floor) came sailing from the opposite side of the hall and struck Hyde in the back of the head. His hold slipped as he lurched forward and Mahiru wiggled free, quickly backing up against the far wall and peering towards the source of the projectile.

"There will not be any more fighting in my house!" Misono roared. He was perhaps twenty feet back, his arm still midair from the throw, breathing heavily. "Now get downstairs before I clobber you with my other loafer!"

Hyde looked murderous for only a moment before he shrugged and sighed. "You're the master of the mansion." His gaze flickered over Mahiru briefly and he grinned. "Mahiru Shirota. Come find me if you ever get curious about that story." He spun on his heel and started whistling merrily as he strode off.

"Are you alright?" Misono asked quietly, coming up beside him as Mahiru tried to catch his breath. "I should never have listened to Lily and let that oaf in here. But I just can't say no to him." He smiled wryly.

"Thanks." Mahiru muttered belatedly, rubbing his shoulder. "Did you say 'loafer'?"

Misono turned crimson and scowled. "Shut up! That's what it is! It's a loafer!"

Mahiru laughed. "Can you show me downstairs? I'm not sure I'll be able to find my way. Your house is huge."

"Is it?" Misono's tone of geniune surprise took the sting out of the comment and Mahiru rolled his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I could fit twelve of my entire house in your first _floor_." He said good naturedly. "You'll probably think I'm living in my closet when you come over."

Misono began to sputter, throwing his gaze every direction but at Mahiru. "When I- when I- come over?"

Mahiru watched him, bemused. "Sure!"

"Well I suppose- I mean, if you _insist_." He pursed his lips and crossed his arms abruptly. "I will have to bring Lily with me, of course. He'll demand."

Mahiru sincerely doubted Lily would demand anything but he nodded all the same, playing along. "Of course."

Throwing open the door they had just reached, Misono stomped into the room and loudly proclaimed, "Lily! We will be going to Mahiru's when all this mess has been taken care of! You must be on your best behavior!"

Lily, sitting alone in the dining room, glanced up from the newspaper spread over his lap, eyes dancing. "Why Misono! When ever did you become such good friends to warrant a dinner invite?" He exclaimed, beaming as he watched Misono flush all over again. "I promise I will behave as a perfect guest. Thank you for the kindhearted invitation, Mahiru." He added, turning his amused gaze his way.

Mahiru barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "It's nothing." He tentatively sat down in the nearest chair and tried to subtly observe the ornate decor as Misono continued to orate on the finer merits of what society expected of a first time visitor to someones home. Wainscoting paneled the room and a massive, ostentatious chandelier hung directly above the table. The table itself, while set for only 7 people, was large enough to sit at least triple that number without the uncouth threat of rubbing elbows. Glancing down he noticed that the plate in front of him was of a pedigree of china unheard of in his household. The one plate probably cost more than his geography textbook. He resisted the urge to drop his head on the table.

"Oh, by the way Mahiru." Lily started, turning away from Misono mid sentence (something about taking ones own lemon for the finger washing bowl). "I wanted to thank you again."

"For what?" He asked, surprised.

"Taking in my brother, of course. He can be quite a handful." He said pensively. "I was afraid when we cornered you like that in the cafe that you'd run us right off!" His laugh was soft and light, like a chime. Mahiru was beginning to see why Misono found him so utterly irresistible. "But as I expected, you rose magnificently to the challenge!"

Mahiru frowned, reaching out for what he hoped was a pitcher of coffee. "I don't think he's a challenge."

Lily's eyebrows threatened to disappear into his bangs as he gently shoved the sugar bowl closer to Mahiru's grasping fingers. "No?"

"No." Mahiru said petulantly.

Lily smiled. "Well, I am glad to hear that."

Feeling rather wrong footed, Mahiru cleared his throat. "It's not that he's... simple. But he's interesting. And funny. Did you know that?"

"I was afraid I was the only one that did."

Mahiru found himself smiling warmly. "The first night he was there we fought. I tried to put him in a headlock. He was picking all the broccoli out of the sauce." He hurried to explain, misinterpreting the astonished looks both Lily and Misono were throwing at him. "It seemed such a waste! And, well, he needs to eat healthier..." He trailed off.

"You. You put Sleepy Ash into a headlock." Misono repeated, astounded.

"I tried." Mahiru clarified uncomfortably. "He's a lot stronger than he looks."

Misono snorted. "I should think so."

"Mahiru." Lily began. "The thing you must remember about Kuro is-"

Before he could say any more the door flew open for the second time and they all turned to see Kuro standing in the door way. He was trying far too hard to appear casual and Mahiru realized he must have been outside in the hallway, listening. He waited only a brief second before he wandered haltingly into the room. His eyes darted around several times and settled on the empty seat next to Mahiru.

"Kuro! Good morning!" Lily greeted him warmly, the first to recover. "I never expected you up this early."

"I wouldn't be." Kuro muttered, falling heavily into the chair. "Except this one woke me up with all his worrying." He jerked a thumb at Mahiru.

Misono made a strange noise and Lily chuckled. Kuro turned a quick glare their way before hiding under his arms and Mahiru wasted all of four seconds attempting to catch someones eye for an explanation, giving up when a steaming pile of scrambled eggs were deposited on his plate by a smiling maid. She walked silently and Mahiru hadn't noticed her approach but when she moved on to stand next to Kuro a small giggle escaped and her face glowed. Mahiru felt his mouth quirk in a displeased sort of way and he shook far too much salt over his eggs, wondering why he found her suddenly so annoying when before he'd thought her cute. Without looking up, Kuro held his plate out for her, his still shower damp hair obscuring his face. As he stared angrily down at his ruined breakfast Mahiru was seized with an almost uncontrollable desire to see Kuro's expression, to know what he thought of the girl. Perhaps it wasn't just him that found her grating to the nerves?

"Kuro." He said sharply, startling even himself. Kuro peered up at him, waiting. "You had better eat." A defiant eyebrow rose and Mahiru glared at it. "Put that down. I have been with you for almost seventy-two hours and I have yet to see you eat more than a handful of noodles. You're going to die if you keep this up and, and-" He broke off, stabbing his fork into the toast now sitting stacked neatly next to his coffee mug. "And it's _pissing me off._"

There was a soft clatter as Lily failed to set his tea cup down in the center of his plate. "If what Mahiru is saying is true, you'd better have something." He said neutrally, the subtle twitching of his lips belying his mirth.

Kuro made a disgusted noise but reached forward nonetheless and scooped up a spoonful of grits from the serving bowl. "Whatever you say MOM."

Mahiru's affronted sputtering was drowned out by Hyde's aggressive laughter from the door. "Just _what_ did I walk into?" He asked delightedly, prowling into the room. "Brother. Two years away and you've acquired all _sorts_ of new tastes."

Chair legs scraped loudly against the polished floors as Kuro lurched up, turning to glower at him, fingers still clenched around his spoon. Mahiru reached out and layed a calming hand on his forearm in worry but Kuro did nothing more than stand, hooded eyes watching Hyde circle the room slowly. When he finally chose a seat near the head of the table Lily let slip a quiet sigh of relief and forced a smile on his face.

"How nice of you to join us, Hyde."

"Don't thank me. I'd rather eat in my room where it doesn't _stink_ quite so much." He said offhandedly, pouring coffee into his cup. "There's just _some_thing extremely odious lurking around in this room."

Misono opened his mouth angrily but, catching Lily's warning look, snapped it shut again, crossing his arms. "And where is Licht?" He muttered instead, still fuming.

Hyde winked at him and laughed. "Why in the shower, of course. Angels are fastidiously cleanly, you know."

"Why do you call him an angel?" Mahiru asked curiously.

Hyde turned a puzzled look on him before answering. "Well, he is one." When Mahiru continued to stare at him nonplussed he added, "Besides, I think the better question here is why are you acting so casual after this morning?" He sneered and leaned forward. "Are you a talented actor, Ma-hi-ru?"

Mahiru stiffened, refusing to meet Kuro's sudden gaze; he could feel it burning a hole in him. Somehow his instincts told him that if he gave in to Hyde and his prodding, Kuro would find a way to blame himself. Plastering on a neutral expression he sighed. "Not particularly. I just find that I'm not often intimidated by school yard bullying." The leer slipped off Hyde's face and his eyes widened in shock. "Anyway, I think it's best, given the current circumstances, that we all get along. There's strength in numbers after all." He slapped a dollop of butter calmly onto the already ruined eggs and mashed it forcefully in, maintaining eye contact. "On our own we probably don't stand much of a chance."

Lily cleared his throat and stood up suddenly. "Misono, could I speak with you for a moment?"

Sensing an opportunity to escape Misono too jumped up. "Of course!" He turned to glance cautiously at Mahiru, his eyebrows raised in question. Mahiru gave a small nod. "Let's go, Lily." He swept out ahead of the taller man and the door shut with a finality that had Mahiru fidgeting in his seat. He'd really stuck his foot in it this time.

"Let's go." It was said so quietly that Mahiru doubted Hyde could hear it from the other side of the table. Kuro had never sat back down and was now eyeing the door longingly. When Mahiru didn't immediately move he reached over and plucked at his shirt sleeve. "Come on."

Mahiru stood slowly, his eyes locked on his plate, thinking. He was fairly certain that he was about to get a lecture. Again. He frowned and made the mistake of looking up, meeting Hyde's bemused study. The fingers tangled in his sleeve again, tugging him gently away from the edge of his seat and Hyde's lips ticked up in a mocking smile. Shaking his head minutely he allowed Kuro to tow him out of the room and down the hallway. They'd passed several doorways when Mahiru realized that Kuro had no idea where he was going and no intention of stopping.

"Are you ok?" He blurted out without thinking and Kuro dropped his hold on the sleeve like his hand had caught fire, staring down at it before meeting Mahiru's worried eyes.

"Me?" He asked roughly. "What about you?"

Mahiru grimaced. "I'm fine."

An awkward silence descended as they stood facing each other in some abandoned hallway, in a gigantic mansion, in the middle of what appeared to be a street war, hoping someone would come tell them what they were supposed to be doing. Somewhere, a cuckoo clock struck the hour and the absurdity of it suddenly crashed over Mahiru like a tidal wave and he burst out laughing, almost doubling over. When Kuro's expression morphed into one of bewildered concern he only laughed harder, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

"It's just- so funny-" He gasped. "What is even happening? How did my life become this?"

Kuro sighed. "Mahiru." The grave tone sobered him and he glanced up. "What did Hyde do?" Kuro seemed to be having trouble keeping his eyes on Mahiru's, constantly meeting his gaze and then swerving away to the left or right, focusing on some neutral point over his shoulder. "Did he tell you anything?"

"Nothing." It didn't come out sounding convincing and Mahiru winced. "Really. He just pushed me around a little and then started talking like he was telling me a fairy tale or something. But Misono showed up before he said anything."

Kuro studied him intently for a moment. "He told you a fairy tale?"

"He was going to. He said..." Mahiru hesitated. "He said that if I got curious about it I should ask him." He took a deep breath and twisted his hands together behind his back, noting that Kuro caught the movement and followed it. "It was about you. When you were little."

What trace amounts of blood were in Kuro's face drained away and the dark look Mahiru hadn't seen for days dropped over his expression. "I see."

"But I won't. I won't ask him to tell me. I want to hear it from you."

Disconcerted eyes found his again. "I won't tell you."

Mahiru felt his heart cave in a bit, denting on the left side, a small dip marring the surface, and he bit back a despondent look. "Alright."

"Alright?" Kuro repeated incredulously.

"Alright." A bird took up residence outside the nearest window and it's lighthearted chirp, railing against the undoubtedly biting wind now picking up, bolstered Mahiru's spirit. He dredged up a small smile and pushed Kuro forward. "We should find Lily and ask him if there's an empty room we can use."

"You're saying weird things again." Kuro muttered in exasperation.

Refusing to let himself feel the embarrassment hovering below the surface at the implication ("your new boyfriend" bounced around inside his skull several times), Mahiru huffed impatiently. "To practice! I want to get a start on lessons."

"Lessons for what?"

"Fighting!"

Kuro pushed back against his hands and they came to a jarring halt. Looking over his shoulder he shook his head. "I'm not teaching you."

"Why?" Mahiru demanded peevishly.

"Because I refuse to take responsibility for you getting yourself killed in a fight that you jumped into without enough training and experience."

Mahiru blinked in surprise at the severity in Kuro's tone. "But I need to-"

"You _need_ to butt out." He interrupted. "Just let it go, Mahiru. It's tiresome."

Sakuya's earlier plea to disregard Kuro in class and to leave him alone echoed through his mind as he studied Kuro's impassive face. He had absolutely no idea what Kuro was thinking or really meant. Surely he didn't truly think Mahiru was a bother? Although, looking back at the last few days, Mahiru hadn't really done much but yell and chastise, get in the way, and make sub par meals. He felt his lips tug down, disheartened, and he took a slow step back. "I'm sorry." Kuro opened his mouth, looking unsure what he intended to say but Mahiru continued before he could decide. "I am going to look for Lily though. I'm sure they have a library around this city somewhere and I'd like to see if I can keep up with class work." He smiled weakly. "I'll see you later."


End file.
